Merkel’s Legacy, as Seen From Russia

... Hollande, and Emmanuel Macron. With every change of command at the Élysée Palace, the German chancellor appeared to stand taller. The appointment of her ally Ursula von der Leyen as president of the European Commission was a sign of the influence of both Germany and Merkel. To achieve that position, Germany had to manage major EU expansion, the debt crisis, and Brexit. Merkel did well on all three. Her only major failure was the immigration crisis of 2015, but once the negative consequences of the massive influx ...